Cameramen resorting to dirty tricks to secure "Fannycam" duties at Euro final

ITV has admitted its cameramen may have been using "underhand practices" against colleagues during live broadcasts in an attempt to win themselves the right to operate the coveted "Fannycam" at this summer's Euro final.

Tasked solely with picking out pretty girls from football crowds, the job of Fannycam operator is highly valued, with each cameraman taking a turn during the group stages. The best performers continue into the knockout stages, with the honour of operating Fannycam for the final traditionally going to whoever who has shown the keenest eye for talent during the entire tournament.

However this approach has led to a number of incidents of alleged sabotage. One cameraman claims his cup of tea was spiked with laxatives, although colleagues claim this is a "shallow attempt to explain why he missed that blonde flashing her boobs after Lescott's goal".

Another alleges his footage of two Swedish girls in bunches bouncing was replaced with a shot of a topless Ukrainian with a beer belly and moustache, belching.

Fannycam first emerged at the 1998 World Cup in France, when a camera was permanently trained on Ronaldo's girlfriend during every Brazil game. But the idea of interspersing football with footage of beautiful girls in team kit proved so popular with viewers that it is now employed for every match, on every channel around the world.

Current favourite to take the Final Fannycam is Martin Stevens, who excelled during the Italy v Spain game, but rivals have pointed out that with the quality on display that day "anyone with half an eye and a slow-motion setting could make it look sexy".

But speaking today, Stevens was wary of being complacent. "Yeah I've done quite well in the group stages, but it's knockout next and anything can happen. If you get Denmark or Russia you're laughing, but Ukraine or Greece? Well you might be in trouble there."